The Secret of Spellshadow Manor

The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #1

by Bella Forrest

A spine-tingling new fantasy-mystery, perfect for adults or teens who enjoyed Harry Potter... What would you do if you spotted a man following a young woman, but no-one else could see him? Like most sane people, student Alex Webber thought he was hallucinating - perhaps he'd consumed something bad at the party he'd been attending that night, or he was severely overtired. But when he sees the mysterious man following Natalie again the very next day, he can no longer disbelieve his eyes. Although Natalie denies the man's existence, Alex sees her walking with him down a road in his neighborhood he's never seen before - and can't help but follow. After a bizarre, but strangely short journey, he finds himself standing before a towering iron gate wreathed in gray ivy, behind which looms a decrepit old house named Spellshadow Manor. Spellshadow, with its beautiful yet sinisterly decorated hallways, ever-changing outdoor scenery and very unusual residents... Alex will quickly learn it is a place that is as wondrous as it is deadly. Especially for a normal person like him. What if you found yourself recruited to an institute of magic, only to discover you really couldn't do magic? What if your enrollment there was all one big, terrible mistake? If you were at Spellshadow, you'd keep it a secret. A deep, dark, deadly secret... Because Spellshadow's elusive Head is hiding a secret of his own, one that Alex soon realizes he and Natalie must uncover at all costs if either of them wishes to leave the Manor alive - and before it's too late. Mystery, suspense, and plenty of twists and turns; an unforgettable experience awaits you in Spellshadow Manor... Welcome in. BUY NOW!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Paranormal, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Mystery

399 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 2017

About the author

UPDATE MARCH 11, 2024:

BELLA IS BACK!

*** New, updated online store at https://BellaForrest.com

*** New books coming soon

*** Possible Film/TV series coming soon

*** Stay up to date by joining our e-mail list at https://BellaForrest.com/join

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Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.

Check out her website for a full list of her books: https://BellaForrest.com

Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaForrest...

Here's a list of some of Bella's books:

DARKLIGHT

Darklight (Book 1)
Darkthirst (Book 2)
Darkworld (Book 3)
Darkblood (Book 4)
Darktide (Book 5)
Darkbirth (Book 6)
Darkfall (Book 7)
Darkwilds (Book 8)
Darkhunt (Book 9)

A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy)
A Love that Endures 1
A Love that Endures 2
A Love that Endures 3

HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)
Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)
Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12)
Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)
Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)
Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)
Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)
Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary
Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18)
Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19)
Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20)
Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)

THE CHILD THIEF

The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)

HOTBLOODS

Hotbloods (Book 1)
Hotbloods (Book 2): Coldbloods
Hotbloods (Book 3): Renegades
Hotbloods (Book 4): Venturers
Hotbloods (Book 5): Traitors
Hotbloods (Book 6): Allies
Hotbloods (Book 7): Invaders
Hotbloods (Book 8): Stargazers

THE GENDER GAME

The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)

THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE

Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

Books 1 to 7

Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

Books 8 to 16

Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...

Books 17 to 24

Season 4: A Clan of Novaks

Books 25 to 32

Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians

Books 33 to 41

Season 6: A Gift of Three

Books 42 to 50

Season 7: A Call of Vampires

Books 51 to 59

Season 8: A Voyage of Founders

Books 60 to 68

Season 9: A Birth of Fire

Books 69 to 77

Season 10: An Origin of Vampires
An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)
A Game of Death (Book 79)
A Veil of Dark (Book 80)
A Bringer of Night (Book 81)
A Circle of Nine (Book 82)
A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)
A Memory of Time (Book 84)
A Shard of Soul (Book 85)
A Break of Seals (Book 86)

Season 11: A Shade of Mystery
A Shade of Mystery (Book 87)
An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88)
A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89)
A Ruler of Clones (Book 90)
A Gate of Light (Book 91)
A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Facebook kept posting on my feed that this was the next amazing fantasy series for those who loved Harry Potter, so I finally caved and downloaded it to my Kindle. Disappointingly, it did not even come close to the quality of writing in J.K. Rowling's wonderful books. That said, I liked it a little...enough to take the cliffhanger bait and download the second book in the trilogy as well. Also just okay, but now that I'm two books in, of course I'm going to read the final installment when it becomes available in a couple of weeks! So who is the clever one here, the advertisers, or me? (Shut up!) Again, they weren't awful, but for me, there was not enough depth to either the characters or the narrative. Perhaps a younger reader would enjoy them more. Honestly though, if you are an adult who wants to read a rich, beautifully written fantasy novel, try Lev Grossman's The Magicians, or The Night Circus, by Erin Morganstern, or Drood, by Dan Simmons, or Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke, because they are all five star page turners!

[julianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I admit it, I was seduced by the hype! Boy was I wrong!

This isn't the natural successor to Harry Potter or Twilight.

It's poorly written with cliché after cliché.

[Jennie Damron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly entertaining. I loved the story and how fast paced the plot was. The characters were captivating and likable. I am glad I went into this with no expectations. One of the captions said if you like Harry Potter you'll love this book. I didn't find this to be like Harry Potter at all. It's extremely different, but good in its' own right. If you like magic, mystery and curses you might want to give this book a try.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harry Potter? No. Not terrible for a YA novel, however. I was disappointed that virtually no questions were answered by the end of the novel, as I didn't enjoy it enough to read its sequel.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and fast paced read. I was surprised by how easily and instantly I fell between the pages of this book. If you're searching for nostalgia and the feeling of Harry Potter this might appeal to you. Recommend.

[Lori Brown clapper · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a HUGE fan of her Shade of Vampire and Gender Game series, this Bella Forrest book provided an unexpected change in reading style. For readers expecting to enter a story via the first person point of view, you're in for a surprise! This story provides a third person account of a new world of magical encounters, suspense, and, true to Bella's writing style, characters you can fall in love with or despise with a vengeance. Bella creates a world like none other, with such vivid descriptions that you can picture them in your mind's eye. This is a YA Fantasy book, with one part creepy, one part magical, and one part "whose side is he on"!? Twists and turns await you in Spellshadow Manor . . . eagerly awaiting Book 2.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I finished this book is because I don't have a ton of time for fun reading, and I felt like I had to finish it. I have no interest in continuing in the series even though the ending didn't wrap up anything. I found the characters to be far too "adult" in how they spoke, interacted, etc. They didn't seem like kids. You can write good YA and still have the characters represent their age group somewhat authentically. The storyline had so many holes in it that I felt like there was no path for the reader to even speculate on what was happening in the story. While I understand this is meant to be a series, so the first book will not have all the answers, I didn't feel like anything was connecting. Normal kid with a sick mom (which felt a little gimmicky rather than authentic) suddenly has a French exchange student as a friend. Suddenly...magic. I don't understand the point of a French exchange student. I don't get why there is nothing in the beginning to hint that the main character has something different about him. The sick mother angle feels like a gimmick rather than an important part of the character's identity. I chose the book because a review said, "Perfect if you love Harry Potter." I wish reviewers would stop comparing every book that contains a storyline around magic to Harry Potter. This is nothing like Harry Potter. Not a fan at all. That said, I'm not reading any further, so maybe it gets better.

[Kerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took forever for me to read. It's much longer than it needs to be, and not overly interesting either, imo. The blurb describing it as "The next read for fans of Harry Potter" couldn't be more wrong. It's much more like Mrs. Peregrines, and I don't say that in a complimentary way. For kids in a school, they rarely attend class. Everything is creepy, and frightening, and mysterious, yet we're given precious little information as to the why of any of it, instead slogging through chapter after chapter of them studying, reading, practice fighting, blah, blah, blah. It gets really tedious really fast, and yet the book still clocks in at over 400 pages! It feels like a ploy to turn it into a series when there really isn't enough material to justify it.

To be fair, this could have been a good idea. But the execution was lacking in a big way. Very little character development shown from any of the mains, very little plot for an over 400 page book, and often painfully slow moving. Even the climax felt, well, anticlimactic.

And my own personal pet peeve, how little consideration is given to Alex's mother, who is apparently, deathly ill and broke. Just a quick note about how it's "too hard to think about her". I will not be reading the second book.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY SPELLBINDING !!!
Title: The Secret of Spellshadow Manor
Series: The Secret of Spellshadow Manor
Author: Bella Forrest
Designation: Book One of Series, Full-Length Novel (400 pages), NOT A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead
Genre: #fantasy #sciencefiction #actionadventure #mystery #comingofage #romance
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition (Verified Purchase Amazon US)
My Rating: Five Spellbinding Stars*****
Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! Bella Forrest just rocked my world AGAIN with another brand new series! Forrest has been a busy little beaver! After publishing a new season of the international bestselling A Shade of Vampire series in the past twelve months as well as introducing two new blockbuster series, The Gender Game and the Detective Erin Bond mystery thriller series, you'd think Forrest would be ready to sit back and take a breather. Nope, just the opposite! I honestly don't think Forrest ever sleeps. Not that I'm complaining... not one little bit! Like thousands of my fellow Bella Forrest fans around the world, I've been hooked since the first book of Forrest's megahit A Shade of Vampire series and now eagerly await each new release. I don't even care what genre it is. If Forrest writes it, I'll read it! And it's no surprise Forrest has delivered another new gripping fantasy adventure that curls our toes, makes our hearts pound and keeps us begging for more! This is a beautifully written young adult saga unlike any I've ever read. If you loved Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Secret of SPellshadow Manor is definitely for you. Quite simply, it's an irresistibly delicious all-you-can-eat buffet of magic, fantasy, action, adventure, mystery, danger, suspense, angst, and blossoming coming of age romance. But never fear, my friends, it's also a deliciously tasty treat for us older adults who remain young at heart! The story is well crafted, imaginative, thrilling, fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, sweet, romantic and at times, also dark and mysterious. Whew, what a mouthful, but these are only a few of the words that come to mind after reading The Secret of Spellshadow Manor. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the third person with a primary perspective from seventeen-year-old high school senior Alex Webber of Middledale, Iowa but in the epilogue, we also get a sneak peek into the mind of another intriguing character who is yet to be determined as friend or foe. The dialogue is smart, well executed and flows effortlessly. Although the premise and plot for this series are intriguing as well as compelling, it's truly the characters that make the biggest impact. They are well developed, fascinating, captivating, engaging, and endearing. They explode from the pages, grab your imagination, capture your heart and hold you completely enthralled from beginning to end. Forrest skillfully combines every single one of these elements to craft a beautifully written coming of age fantasy filled to the brim with magic, danger, action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, suspense, magic, loyalty, and heartbreak, lies, deceit, secrets, angst, young love, and plot twists that will blow your mind. After reading every single one Forrest's books, there are two things I've learned beyond a shadow of a doubt. First, when reading anything written by Bella Forrest, always expect the unexpected and two, absolutely nothing is ever impossible as any of her readers have witnessed time and time again. In each book Forrest pens, she takes her readers on an emotionally thrilling roller coaster ride, unlike any other, one that keeps us on the edge of our seat and riveted to each page while screaming, "OMG - that didn't just happen!" And the icing on the cake, Forrest's books are always exceptionally well-crafted, edited, formatted and have gorgeous covers! Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am, for ages 12 to 112. Will I read this author again? Of course, just as soon as Forrest publishes her next book. Forrest has the most extraordinary imagination of any author I've ever read, one which knows no bounds! And finally, was I entertained? OMG, YES! Completely! I was glued to my seat, completely enthralled, white-knuckling my ereader with my heart beating wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time, and all the while screaming, "Don't do it!" OMG! I was a nervous wreck! lol... I can hardly wait to see what's in store for Alex, Natalie and their friends in Book Two, The Breaker! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

Unlike his friends, seventeen-year-old Middledale, Iowa high school senior Alex Webber spends all his free time learning to write computer code and building websites. He's becoming quite the young entrepreneur. Unfortunately, his efforts are born from necessity rather than pleasure. Since Alex's mother was diagnosed with a debilitating long-term illness leaving her unable to work, he desperately needs to earn enough money to supplement their meager monthly income. Hosting a foreign exchange student was supposed to be just another way to add much-needed funds to their dwindling monthly budget... until Alex meets the student...a lovely young seventeen-year-old female student from France named Natalie Chevalier. Oh my! What normal red-blooded seventeen-year-old young man wouldn't appreciate the beauty of a charming french girl, right? When the two teenagers meet, they instantly become fast friends with each looking forward to the upcoming new school year. They're just a couple of normal teenagers who want to enjoy their senior year, right? Hmm... But Alex and Natalie may not be quite so normal after all. What happens when these two seemingly unremarkable young people, brought together by fate, realize they may not be as ordinary as they thought? In fact, they may be quite extraordinary. After seeing a strange, frightening, and unexplainable dark figure following Natalie, apparently one no one else could see, Alex is faced with a life-altering decision that may interrupt his well-laid plans and change his life forever. But there is only one choice for the pragmatic yet sensitive young Alex - no matter the risk, he must protect his new friend Natalie. But at what cost? Join our two brave, young heroes as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime where they must learn to navigate the ever-changing hallways of the mysterious, magical, and very dangerous new world of Spellshadow Manor, and where one mistake could cost them their lives. Oh my!

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. I fell for the Facebook hype too. It isn't that I didn't enjoy it, but it wasn't a book I need to know the ending of either.

Harry Potter? Well, there is a "school" and there is magic...sort of... that is about as far as it goes for being like Harry Potter. It would be better if it stopped trying to compare itself to anything else. Just be what you are. (I know, I know, that isn't how advertising works....) I guess the big thing is Hogwarts is a place you want to go to, Spellshadow is not a place anyone wants to go to. I prefer the former.

That said. The story was okay. I didn't hate it. I like Alex well enough and Natalie was fine. I didn't really get to know the other characters. Finder was cool. A bit shallow in character development. We barely get to know any of them before the action starts.

Well, it was okay. glad I read it, don't need to read the rest of the series.

[Aakash · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This is the book which got me in reading (like really reading for 5-6 hours daily). I loved and thought it was the best book I have ever read when I read it but after reading more than hundred books I now understand that this was at best a mediocre book and at worst a trash. But I still love it and respect it as it gave me a new hobby. Still I love that the sequels get better with more action.

[Agroca AWOL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is totally awesone.

[Phyllis Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brand new book by Bella Forrest. For those who follow Bella's writing, the new book does not disappoint. The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (TSOSM) is a mesmerizing read full of intrigue, mystery, laughter, and surprises. For those readers not familiar with Bella, try TSOSM !!!

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well here is another that just didn't pan out. I started off ok and then started dragging along till the end. I wouldn't recommend reading it, especially if you are one of those that has to read the series once you start. There's four of them. I know I won't be wasting my time with them.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The announcement for this book, made it sound as if it was the next Harry Potter book series. I was very disappointed in the writing, and the background information wasn't up to the quality of Harry Potter. The friendships of the students was very poorly done. I was into the 14th chapter before it became a little more interesting.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book seems more nightmare than magic! Nothing is truly explained - just 2 teenagers mysteriously brought to this “school for magic” out of the blue. And told that they cannot leave until they graduate. Lots of weird stuff and halls that travel in and out of locations around the globe.

I was at least 20% into this book, and still NO EXPLANATIONS. Nothing makes sense! What about the mundane world? What about his mother and the school - did they think that X and Y were kidnapped? Ran away?

There’s no world-building - there’s only being SLAMMED into this strange, eery, weird place filled with bizarre people who all seem to know the “rules” and have no problem being there.

NOT for me. Any comparison to Harry Potter is… marketing.

[Elise Edmonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I chose this book

I admit I gave into the hype. I’d not heard of this indie author before, although I understand she’s written quite a variety of paranormal/urban/dystopian type books. However, the ads for this book popped up in my Facebook feed most days. It promised me that if I loved Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, I would love this book. Did I? Read on…

Rating/Content

I give this book a 3 out of 5. 

But that rating is based partly on the fact that it was hyped up to be AMAZING, when in reality, although I would say I enjoyed it, it didn’t blow me away. Had I just grabbed it randomly, it might have got a 4 out of me. Also, I didn’t get as much closure from it as I would have liked, which tends to influence my rating.

The book is suitable for teens, and has an urban fantasy vibe, although magic is the focus rather than beings like vampires or werewolves.

Good points

This book has a good premise. I like the idea of a non-magical teen who has somehow found his way into this creepy school. He’s in danger of being discovered because he doesn’t do magic, and his classmates and teachers are hiding secrets and face an uncertain future.

Bad points

It was nothing like Harry Potter except the two books had a school and magic. It was really nothing like the Hunger Games. So I’m not a great fan of the advertising campaign. But they hey, every other book claims to be the next Harry Potter, so I can’t get too mad. It just didn’t meet my expectations.

The magic system was ill-defined and I didn’t really feel I got to grips with what it could do and how it worked.

It was really depressing. They were stuck in this school for the whole book, and there weren’t really any moments that lightened the book. It felt very dark, and I admit I prefer something more cheery, and less claustrophobic. I suppose that could be seen as a good point, because it was certainly atmospheric, so if you’re keen on a darker style of fantasy, particularly urban, you may enjoy it.

Overall

I won’t be continuing this series, but I would try another book by Bella Forrest. I get the impression that paranormal is more her thing, so I’d be tempted to give one of those a go.

[Libby Charlotte Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but being generous on the rating!

I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this book. First of all, ignore any acknowledgement that it's similar to Harry Potter. It's not at all. So when reading it, take that into consideration.

The book does get better as it goes along and keeps you guessing, with numerous twists and turns. In fact, I'm still not sure on the good/bad split because it leaves you with little insight and ends on a vague cliffhanger. I'm not quite ready to rush to buy the 2nd book, The Breaker, but I would like to finish the series as a whole. So I've popped it in my want to read list.

It's a YA book and reads as such, but it was enjoyable and fairly easy to read.

[Louise Sansom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

Well I wasn't expecting much to be honest but this book actually had a pretty interesting plot once it got going and it doesn't go down your typical magic school angle either since all the students are kidnapped and forced to learn magic for an unknown and most likely sinister purpose. Honestly this darker aspect is what kept me reading and the mystery is very tantalizing.
Character development is somewhat lacking, I didn't really feel involved with the characters all that much and I found conversations between characters to be a little stilted and overly formal considering the story revolves around a bunch of kidnapped teens I would've expected tensions to be high but everyone seems fairly relaxed about it.
I do look forward to the next book however because there are still a few mysteries to solve.

[Della Tingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book popped up on my Facebook thread over and over and over again until I finally added it to my WANT TO READ shelf. It was advertised as being a book to read if you love Harry Potter. Well, while it is magical, it is only ok. The characters are not nearly developed enough. If I want to read another series, in lieu of Harry Potter, I will read Charlie Bone. With that said, I might see what’s next in this series. Then again, I may not.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great YA fantasy for the summer - can't wait to read the second book. Would be enjoyed by both adults and kids alike. I know some reviews are comparing this series to Harry Potter, but honestly they are not at all alike, beyond the whole teen/wizard/wizard school concept. The plot line and characters are dark and sinister, with none of the feel goods and characters to love like Harry and the gang.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toted as the series to read after Harry Potter. It's about wizards and magic, but lacked the character chemistry. I liked Natalie and Alex fine, but I didn't get drawn into the story. I kept thinking, where is this going? What are they trying to do? It wasn't bad, but when compared to Harry Potter (which it was, that's why I tried it) it isn't even close.

[Wolf (Alpha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I liked how Alex to care of his mother. I liked how after his friend confesses that he is going to try to overtake the teacher, Alex and Natalie began to train with him. I like how they didn't give up and defeated the teacher. I like how he said that he would help and protect them as much as possible. Definitely gets 5 stars.

[Kathryn Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

So it is about a magic school. Obviously it doesn't have a scratch on Harry Potter, but it was still interesting and Alex is a good main protagonist to follow.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Harry Strange

This book feels like Harry Potter meets Dr Strange. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have already purchased book two. For anyone that loves different "worlds" or likes good combinations of favorites, I believe this would work beautifully.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just ok, I think I prefer her normal fantasy, with vampires and all that fun stuff. I am interested in what is to happen nect in the series, but could be improved. Hopefully book 2 is a little better.

[Emma Baca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one but I felt like it just hobbled along and wasnt fleshed out enough. Towards the end it picked up and it kept me interested enough to finish. Not sure if i'll read any further in the series, which i'm a little disappointed about because I loved her Harley and Finch Merlin series

[Lisa McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic world created by our Bella! In this book she explores magic- the source of it in the characters and anti-magic. SOSM is very well written, and will appeal to her "seasoned" readers, as well as younger readers- I would have no issue with my 14 year old reading this.

The story begins with Alex following his fellow student, Natalie, when he sees a dark billowy figure whispering to her in class. "Finder" leads Natalie to Spellshadow Manor, where we are introduced to magic wielders. The Manor has many secrets - shifting outside scenery, magicked lines in the hallway you are unable to cross, and a curse that needs to be lifted. Will Alex and his friends find a way out? You'll have to read to see who is helping and who will stand in their way.

[Myra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this as my Kindle Lending Library pick . It's billed as "the next Harry Potter." And while it borrows heavily from that series, it is not nearly as good. Students here aren't excited to go. They are basically kidnapped and forced to go. Also, it's very dark. Not like "there are monsters and bad things everywhere" dark but more "nobody gets out of here alive" dark. It was okay, but not the delightful YA fantasy I thought I'd be getting. I did go ahead and borrow the second volume, but that was 15% wanting to know what happens next and 85% waiting too long to research my next choice so I just picked what was easy. This may very well go the same way the last series I tried to read from her went - give up after book 2.

[Saima · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know a story is poorly written if you're not engrossed in it, instead you're critiquing the writing as you read. This book kept showing up in adverts as an amazing magical series to rival HP. Let's get one thing clear, it does not. The story itself seems okay, it interests me enough to annoyingly want to read the second book despite this review. The writing is poor, basic and repetitive sentences with poor dialogue, description and character development. Another thing which annoyed me is the forced feminism in mildly mentioning a stereotype of women and refuting it when describing a female character and their role in the story, if you truly were gender neutral or wanted to fight stereotype then just write a character without mentioning stereotypes instead of mentioning female delicacy etc. I was hoping for more and despite feeling a slight tug to read the next episode, I'm not sure I should bother. I'm surprised to see in the final pages that she's written twenty odd books. Also, these are 17 year olds and they seem more like 12 year olds.